The BMW Shorties awarded its Grand Prize for the year 2018 to the short film ‘Colourless’ by Ananth Subramaniam, a moving story of the journey of a young, aspiring swimmer and her struggles in navigating the waters between her swimming community and life with her single father.
The 14-minute short film was presented with the coveted title of the BMW Shorties 2018 Grand Prize at the BMW Shorties Awards Night 2018, where the team also walked away with a production grant of RM 80,000 to fund their next short film.
‘Colourless’ takes us into the world of Samantha – a gifted young swimmer whose desire to be seen for her talent is perennially undermined by the reality of her circumstances. Struggling to connect with her single father while dealing with adolescent insecurities, Samantha’s story is a reminder of how the path of self-validation for one’s passion and talent can be filled with loneliness and frustration; but with relentless drive and unwavering belief, the chance to shine will come within reach.
“It is a great honour to be named the BMW Shorties Grand Prize Winner, which is a recognition of the efforts and quality of work put in by the team while having to work within challenging time constraints. We are excited to be in the company of such brilliant talent, from whom we learned a lot as fellow contenders. We are thankful to the BMW Shorties for enabling us with this platform to tell a powerful story to a broader audience, whom we hope to inspire through this collective creation of ours.” said Ananth Subramaniam.
‘Colourless’ stood out as the frontrunner for the judges this year with its production quality, which breathes depth and impact into the narrative through commendable creative direction, sound design and editing skills, and actor performance. The short film also took home supporting awards for Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Sound Design, Best Editing, and Best Actress.
“We hoped to portray the theme “DRIVE” as rooted in the everyday. There is a ‘Samantha’ in all of us – we are always working towards that one thing in life that gets us up every morning and keeps us going. The caveat is that it’s not always an easy journey; but the reward is worth it. ‘Colourless’ is our way of telling that story of drive, dream and desire, which all of us can relate to within our own circumstances,’ said Ananth.
Quek Shio Chuan a judge for the BMW Shorties 2018, commented, ‘It is refreshing to see Ananth’s take on the theme of “DRIVE”. With his understated style of delivery, the nuanced message comes through with great clarity, reminding us of the varied dimensions present in every real-life experience empowered by human drive.’
Fellow judge Isazaly Mohd Isa said, “It is a well-deserved win for Ananth and his crew. ‘Colourless’ has that rare and important quality in a short film – the ability to touch and move with minimal dialogue and theatrics, for an emotionally rich narrative to unfold and resonate with the audience.”
Lina Tan, meanwhile, said, “Ananth takes a very focused, balanced and genuine approach to tell a simple but powerful story. Through a glimpse into Samantha’s everyday journey, the short film opens the viewers up to a wealth of emotional subtlety, which accentuates the full impact of the character’s silent struggle.”
Harald Hoelzl, Managing Director of BMW Group Malaysia said, “It is encouraging to see so many budding filmmaking talents and digital content creators demonstrating such drive and passion in showcasing their best works on the BMW Shorties. They are examples of how the synergy of creativity and drive can produce the most moving and inspiring form of art – an endeavour the BMW Shorties looks forward to fostering for years to come.”
Sashi Ambi, Head of Corporate Communications of BMW Group Malaysia said, “Each year, we never ceased to be amazed by the amount of talent and quality of submissions on the BMW Shorties; this year is no exception. This only motivates us to continue pushing the BMW Shorties as the leading platform for new-generation filmmakers and digital content creators to hone their craft and share their uniquely-inspired works with audiences in Malaysia and beyond.”
The short films of the Finalists can be viewed on the official BMW Shorties website.
The Full list of BMW Shorties 2018 award winners
Grand Prize Award
‘Colourless’ by Ananth Subramaniam
People’s Choice Award
‘Handbag’ by Hyrul Anuar
Best Director Award
Ananth Subramaniam for ‘Colourless’
Best Actor Award
Alang Fadhli in ‘Lelaki Yang Dirindui’
Best Actress Award
Atiqah Afina in ‘Colourless’
Best Cinematography Award
JF Chong for ‘Colourless’
Best Editing Award
Jordan Goh for ‘Colourless’
Best Screenplay Award
Caston J for ‘Kampung Aman’
Best Sound Design Award
Chris G for ‘Colourless’
Best Production Design Award
Ravindran Krishnan for ‘Kampung Aman’
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